Snap Judgment: Snoop Dogg's 'Neva Have 2 Worry' video

Let me get this out of the way, before you go and get your hopes up: Snoop Dogg’s new video is no “Sensual Seduction.” Then again, so few things are — and “Neva have 2 Worry,” a reflective look back at the twists and turns of Snoop’s lengthy career, is definitely one of the stronger tracks on his new Ego Trippin’ album (out next week). Snoop wisely farmed the video out to up-and-coming director Rik Cordero. Here’s what they came up with (NSFW):

The first version of this video that I came across this week (also NSFW) pulled off a clever trick, splicing together footage from Snoop’s past — hey, it’s Suge Knight! — to look like a super-professional version of one of those tribute videos. Unfortunately, it appears that that was one of those tribute videos; the official video (above), which hit the Web yesterday, is missing all those archival clips. But I actually think I like this more contemplative approach a little better. We see a present-day Snoop sitting in a sequence of stripped-down rooms, narrating his musical history while wearing period-appropriate garb: “LBC” t-shirt and pot-leaf baseball cap for the “Nuthin’ But a G Thang” era, flamboyant suit and fedora for the No Limit don years, and so on. There is also a priceless shot at 3:56 of a gangsta saxophonist, playing his horn amid a late-night crowd of angry guys in hoodies — this guy gives the Roots’ Tuba Gooding Jr. a run for his money in the “badass brass man” department. (Be sure to watch through to the 4:32 mark for some bonus blowin’.) It’s all pretty low-key, but it works. Don’t you think?